A security official working on the Commonwealth Games for Australia says India is behind with its security preparations for the Games and he observed late or missing technology such as closed-circuit television monitoring.
Australian Justin Bowden said on Thursday that during a security reconnaissance trip he conducted in New Delhi last week, “everyone's into rhetoric mode I’m afraid,” ahead of the October 3-14 Games.
Australia and New Zealand officials on Wednesday said they had concerns over security for the Games, which have been plagued by construction delays to key venues and corruption allegations.
Australian Associated Press said on Thursday that staff from Bowden’s company Beltin Group would provide advisory and protection services to Australian media during the Games.
Bowden said his team met with security managers at key hotels, former deputy commissioners of Delhi’s police force and government officials and that “the CCTV (closed-circuit television) is still being rolled out at many events.”
“We asked to see some (security) control rooms — we were told ‘yes’ but I fear that they're not there. I fear that it was a matter of politeness and that they’re still being built.” Bowden delivered similar services during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and was working this week on plans for London in 2012.
“The Brits are already at a situation whereby in the next couple of months they will have venues that are complete,” Bowden said. “They have security overlays so they know how dual-perimeter entrances will work and they will already be conducting coordinated activities and exercises.
“Unfortunately in India, where we’re having such a late certification and handover of these sites, there hasn't been this coordinated opportunity for exercises in response.” D.R. Kaarthikeyan, one of India’s top security advisers, has said previously that around 10,000 police and other security forces will be on the ground in Delhi during the Games.
Bowden said on Thursday that what India lacks in preparation it will try to compensate for in numbers. “They're certainly throwing a lot of manpower at this,” he said. “At this stage I wouldn't say it’s all by good planning.”
On Thursday, New Zealand diplomats in India warned of terrorist attacks on “soft targets” ahead of the Games. Diplomatic cables, obtained by Wellington’s Dominion-Post newspaper under New Zealand’s Official Information Act, say that for the first time the Games will be held in a “high-threat environment”.
“The pre-Games environment could be overshadowed by some form of soft target attack such as the recent attack on the German Bakery in Pune, which would be unsettling and capture media attention,” the newspaper quoted the cable as saying.
The German Bakery, a cafe popular with tourists, was the target of a February 13 bombing which killed 17 people and injured 65. “The general security situation in India is stressed. Terrorist attacks, especially on softer targets are likely to continue,” the cables said.
The local organising committee in the last week has suspended high-ranking officials at the request of the Indian government following allegations of financial irregularities in the planning of an event to launch the Queen’s Baton Relay in London.